Sheriff: Mesa teen commits suicide in Oregon

The search for a young man from Apache Junction who had been missing for two weeks had a tragic ending when sheriff’s deputies in Oregon discovered he had committed suicide only 1,000 feet from where his car was found.

The disappearance of Johnathan Croom, 18, drew international attention after his father, David, was quoted in an Associated Press report as saying his son was obsessed with “Into the Wild,” a movie based upon a book of the same name.

Deputy Dwes Hutson, of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in Roseburg, Ore., said deputies found a text message Monday that led them to believe that Johnathan Croom was suicidal.

Cadaver dogs on Monday tracked down Johnathan Croom’s body only 1,000 feet from where his SUV had been found on Aug. 19, parked near a sand and gravel yard in rural Riddle, Ore. Hutson said Croom had hung himself.

David Croom had come to Oregon and disturbed fliers seeking information about his son after deputies notified him that his son’s Honda CRV had been located, Hutson said.

“He (Johnathan Croom) sent some text messages that he was running away, that he wanted to get away from his life,” Hutson said.

Inside the vehicle, authorities found a book about surviving in the woods, a hunting rifle, Croom’s wallet and money.

Hutson said Croom had visited a young woman near Seattle, Wash., and was supposed to be headed back to Apache Junction, where he was expected to enroll in college.

“It’s unfortunate that kids feel so trapped,” Hutson said. “They don’t understand that everything is temporary. It’s just a real sad, unfortunate situation. I feel very bad for the family.”

He said Croom sent a suicidal text message on Aug. 18 and that the body was found in a condition consistent with being exposed to the elements that long.

"John made us feel like he was OK, but he was really hurting inside," his father, David Croom, told the Associated Press on Tuesday. "It's really important that we pay real close attention to what our kids are saying and that we remind them that we love them, because there are influences in the world that tell them otherwise.

“John is loved by many. I appreciate all the help and what everyone has done. My instincts told me this could happen. I'm trying to be strong for my community.”

David Croom told CNN previously that his son was disappointed by a recent breakup with a girlfriend. He said his son had romantized the movie, “Into the Wild,” and he feared that the teenager did not understand that the main character did not survive his outdoor adventure.

In the movie based on Jon Krakauer's 1996 nonfiction book, a young man by the name of Chris McCandless disappears from society and is found four months later in Alaska, having died of starvation.

Over the past six months, David Croom said, his son had shown a growing interest in the movie and possibly wanted to emulate McCandless’ actions.

“He's been watching the movie a lot,” Croom said before his son's body was found. “Maybe he said, ‘I want to do it.’ That's our theory, because he kept talking about the movie.”

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